Datumate Wins Tender to Monitor German Railway Infrastructure Projects

Deutsche Bahn AG has awarded a multi-year tender to Datumate for the analysis and visualization of drone images related to its railway infrastructure. Datumate is a leading provider of construction data analytics for the infrastructure construction industry.

As part of this framework service agreement, Datumate will provide services based on DatuBIM, its cloud-based construction data analytics platform, for digital progress monitoring of construction projects, quality assurance and comparison of schedule versus plan. DatuBIM generates automatically as-built 3D models, gives construction data alerts, delivers analytics to assess site conditions and construction progress, fosters team collaboration, preserves evidence and documents the project.

Infrastructure construction projects often span several years. This tender enables Deutsche Bahn AG construction projects to use Datumate's services for a two-year term, with an optional additional two years. 

The Importance of Digital Construction Management

"We are thrilled to have won this tender from Deutsche Bahn. This award validates Datumate's vision of shaping the digital future of infrastructure construction using the outstanding artificial intelligence and data analytics technology of DatuBIM. This is the new way to deliver successful projects. More than that, the tender award further expresses the importance of digital construction management. Entering the era of connected construction sites with digital collaboration, progress monitoring and analytics will dramatically increase the probability to finish projects on time and budget and improve the supervision of general contractors working for Deutsche Bahn," said Tal Meirzon, Datumate's CEO. "We are now excited about bringing our innovation to the field to support project managers at Deutsche Bahn in their day-to-day challenges and enable them to work more efficiently."

The agreement is operationally handled by DB Netz AG, the railway infrastructure manager of Deutsche Bahn AG, which is responsible for the approximately 33,400km-long rail network, including all operationally necessary installations, and has around 46,000 employees.

"With this framework agreement, we can provide our project teams an opportunity to better monitor, control and document their construction sites using digital methods. The innovative use and evaluation of drone images is an important cornerstone to achieve an increase in efficiency in the construction process and thus to be able to cope with the steadily increasing construction volume in the future," said Steffen Scharun, head of building information modelling at DB Netz AG.

The result of a rigorous process, the award of the tender underscores DatuBIM's unique capabilities. Especially DB Netz construction and supervision teams and their projects will benefit from:

• Visualizing and remotely monitoring project progress throughout the entire project lifecycle
• Increasing collaboration, transparency, accountability and efficiency
• Comparing construction work against design or previous 3D models
• Receiving automated engineering reports
• Digitally supervising teams, assuring quality and controlling bills
• Monitoring earthwork, improving scheduling and quickly detecting deviations.

Signal to the Infrastructure Construction Industry

The award of the tender by Deutsche Bahn AG sends a signal to the entire infrastructure construction industry about the need to advance the adoption of digital solutions, according to Meirzon: "This award strengthens Datumate's entry into the German market. Deutsche Bahn once more gives an example for other companies – owners and general contractors alike – that digital transformation is happening here and now. We are positive that many companies from all infrastructure construction sectors – from railway, highway to land development – will follow Deutsche Bahn."

In the last couple of years, Datumate has acquired dozens of prestigious global customers and partners, but working with Deutsche Bahn AG has a special meaning for the company: "We are proud to continue our partnership with Deutsche Bahn, which we have built over recent years. Our cooperation with Deutsche Bahn started in 2017 at DB mindbox, Deutsche Bahn's startup hub. Deutsche Bahn and Datumate conducted three pilot projects. The pilots we had with DB Netz AG and DB Engineering and Consulting GmbH at the time became part of Datumate's DNA and formed how DatuBIM works today. We are committed to delivering digitally accessible engineering services with significant economic and organizational benefits to Deutsche Bahn," said Dr Jad Jarroush, Datumate's Founder and CTO.